Relational Communication Preferences Across Three Generations

1
Relational Communication Preferences Across Three
Generations
Nancy Cheever, Communications Department L. Mark
Carrier, Psychology Department Larry Rosen,
Psychology Department California State
University, Dominguez Hills
2
Introduction

• Technological advances
• have increased the use of
• e-mail, text messaging,
• and instant messaging,
• especially among the
• younger generations.

3
Introduction

• Americans spend
• more time on the computer
• and using new modes of
• communication than they
• do using traditional forms of
• media and engaging in
• other daily tasks

4
Introduction

• Scholars agree that
• traditional forms of
• communication
• face to face and
• telephoneare
• rapidly declining
• among young
• people

5
Introduction

• Have face to face
• and other
• synchronous
• communication
• modes become a
• thing of the past?

Are there generational differences?
6
Introduction

• How do the
• preferred modes
• change based
• on levels of
• depression and
• shyness?

7
Purpose

• This study examines the preferred communication
  methods and relational differences among three
  generations
• Looks at how these differences relate to levels
  of depression and shyness

8
Three Generations

• Net Generation Born 1980-1999
• Generation X Born 1965-1979
• Baby Boomers Born 1946-1964

9
Method

• Please indicate your preferred way of
  communicating
• with each person listed below
• Parents
• Children
• Best friend
• Good friend
• Acquaintance
• Significant other
• Brother/sister
• Other relatives

• Teacher or boss
• Doctor/dentist
• Someone asking for help with school or work
• Cousins
• Make a date
• Break a date
• Break up with someone

10
Method

• Measured shyness levels (online and F2F)
• Self-reported
• When I communicate face to face I am
• When I communicate online in am
• From very shy to very outgoing
• Measured depression levels
• I frequently feed sad or depressed
• Strongly agree to strongly disagree

11
Communication with SIGNIFICANT OTHER
Chi-square 87.08, p lt .001
12
Communication with CHILDREN
Net Generation removed
Chi-square 23.78, p lt .01
13
Communication with PARENTS
Chi-square 92.93, p lt .001
14
Communication with BEST FRIEND
Chi-square 99.70, p lt .001
15
Communication with GOOD FRIEND
Chi-square 158.43, p lt .001
16
Communication with ACQUAINTANCE
Chi-square 288.47 p lt .001
17
Communication with DOCTOR/DENTIST
Chi-square 43.73 p lt .001
18
Communication with TEACHER/BOSS
Chi-square 46.96, p lt .001
19
Communication with MAKE A DATE
Chi-square 85.63, p lt .001
20
Communication with BREAK A DATE
Chi-square 86.80, p lt .001
21
SOMEONE ASKING FOR SCHOOL/WORK HELP
Chi-square 193.27, p lt .001
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Preferred communication methods by SHYNESS LEVEL
IN PERSON _______________________________________
___________________ Relation In person
Phone Technology (IM, E-mail,
Text) ____________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Significant other Shy 76
14 10 Outgoing 83 12
5 Children Shy 76 21
3 Outgoing 85 13 3 Best
friend Shy 61 24 16 Outgoing 65
25 10
p lt .05 p lt .01
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Preferred communication methods by SHYNESS LEVEL
IN PERSON _______________________________________
___________________ Activity In person
Phone Technology (IM, E-mail,
Text) ____________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Make a date Shy 37 47 17 Outgoing
40 50 11 Break a date Shy 25
50 26 Outgoing 28 55 16 Break
up with someone Shy 64
20 14 Outgoing 78 14 6
p lt .05 p lt .01
24
Preferred communication methods by SHYNESS LEVEL
ONLINE ________________________________________
__________________ Relation In person
Phone Technology (IM, E-mail,
Text) ____________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Acquaintance Shy 29
40 32 Outgoing 21 26 54 Teacher
or boss Shy 49 27 24 Outgoing 54
13 32
p lt .05 p lt .01
25
Preferred communication methods by SHYNESS LEVEL
ONLINE __________________________________________
________________ Activity In person
Phone Technology (IM, E-mail, Text)
_________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ Brea
k a date Shy 25 63
9 Outgoing 26 53 21 Break up with
someone Shy 60 30
8 Outgoing 75 15 8 Someone
asking for help with work or school Shy 41
30 27 Outgoing 33 32 35
p lt .01
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Preferred communication methods by DEPRESSION
LEVEL __________________________________________
________________ Relation/activity In
person Phone Technology (IM, E-mail,
Text) ___________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
_ Make a date Depressed 42
47 11 Not depressed 30
53 17 Relatives Depressed 54
39 5 Not depressed 46 47 5
p lt .05 p lt .01
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Preferred communication methods by GENDER
_________________________________________________
_________ Relation In person Phone IM Text
E-mail __________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__ Acquaintance Male 28
31 8 17 17 Female 20
27 8 21 24 Cousins Male 48
34 2 7 7 Female 39
35 4 8 13 Good friend Male 53
31 3 9 5 Female 43
32 5 13 7 Relatives Male 56
36 1 2 3 Female 49 44 1 0 4
p lt .05 p lt .01
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Preferred communication methods by
GENDER __________________________________________
________________ Activity In person
Phone IM Text E-mail ____________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
________________ Make a date Male 28
31 8 17 17 Female 20
27 8 21 24 Break a date Male 34
50 1 11 3 Female 23 55 3 16 4
p lt .01
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• No. 1 Preferred method of communication
• N1,319
• __________________________________________________
  ________
• Relation/activity No. 1 preference ()
  
• __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  _________________
• Significant other In person (71)
• Parents In person (67)
• Brother/sister In person (58)
• Best friend In person (56)
• Break up with someone In person (56)
• Teacher/boss In person (51)
• Doctor/dentist Telephone (48)
• Good friend In person (46)
• Relatives In person (44)
• Break/make a date Telephone (43/40)
• Acquaintance Telephone (25)

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Discussion

• In general, the No. 1 preferred method of
  communication is in person
• In general, people would prefer to communicate
  either in person or on the telephone
• The use of e-mail, text, and instant messaging is
  not the most preferred method of communication in
  any category

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Discussion

• As the relationship presumably gains more
  distance, the preferred method of communication
  becomes more technological
• As age categories increase, preference for
  face-to-face communication decreases in almost
  all categories
• Baby Boomers prefer e-mail more than any other
  generation (very few use instant messaging)
• Net generation prefers face to face more than any
  other generation

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Discussion

• No panic about technology stealing children
  away from synchronous communication modes
• Older adults may be too busy to use face-to-face
  communication methods

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Discussion

• Asked their preferred method of communication NOT
  how they typically communicate
• People may prefer to communicate in person, but
  cannot because of their busy lives
• Technology makes it easier for people to stay
  connected

34
Thank You